Trace-hook.



A. P. HOARD.

TRACE HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16, 1909.

' Patented Nov. 30, 1909;

fli

ANDREW. a, mum" on. FKDTO-U'HDGRAPHERSCWAWDTON. n. c.

ADDISON P. HOARD, OF ALCESTER, SOUTH DAKOTA.

TRACE-HOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

Serial No. 483,770.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AnDIsoN P. HoARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alcester, in the county of Union and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harness and has particular reference to a trace or whiflletree hook which is to be employed in connection with the same.

An object of this invention is to provide a hook of this nature which may be actuated quickly in order to release the traces from the whiflietree and in order to secure the same thereto.

The invention further provides a hook which comprises but few operative parts so as to produce a device which is of simple construction and operation and one which is consequently strong and durable as well as one which is of great practical advantage in the art.

Other objects and advantages of this hook will be set forth in the following description and claims appended thereto.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device as attached to the end of a whittletree and showing a trace connected thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the same in a locked position, and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device showing the bolt in a retracted position.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to .in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 10 designates the body portion of the device which comprises an elongated channel member which is adapted for engagement upon the outer extremity of the whifHetree 11 and which is secured rigidly in position by means of a rivet 12 or the like which is passed through the same. The outer extremity of the body portion 10 is reduced and provided with a rectangular receiving member 13 in which is adapted to be inserted the loop 141: of a trace 15. The means employed for locking the loop 14: within the member 13 comprises a sliding bolt 16 which is centrally disposed in the body portion 10 in an aperture 17 longitudinally formed in the outer-end of the same, the bolt 16 being reciprocated within the body portion 10 by means of a hand-lever 18 which is pivotally disposed upon a pin 19 in the upper face of the body portion 10. The lever 18 is provided with a lug 20 which is depended therefrom and which is engaged through a flared opening 21 formed through the bolt 16 having the enlargement thereof disposed upwardly. The lever 18 is curved upwardly from the body portion 10 where it is turned backwardly and engaged against the upper face of the same and is provided with flanges 22 which laterally project therefrom and are curved downwardly to conform to the contourof the body portion 10 in order to admit of the positioning of the lever 18 flush with the upper face thereof. The lever 18 is provided with an upwardly turned portion 23 at its outer extremity for engagement with the thumb of the operator to raise the same laterally.

In operation when it is desired to couple the trace 15 to the whiflietree 11 the hook 14c is inserted in the receiving member 13 and the hand lever 18 is swung downwardly against the face of the body portion 10, which action causes the lug 20 to engage with the bolt 16 within the opening 21 and to slide the same forwardly to engage in a recess which is formed in the opposite or outer wall of the receiving member 13 to lock the hook 14 within the receiving member 13. The bolt 16, it is readily observed cannot be retracted on account of the positioning of the lug 20 which when forced backwardly exerts a pressure above the pin 19 and thereby impinges the outer end of the lever 18 against the side of the body portion 10, serving to bind the bolt in position instead of releasing the same. WVhen it is desired to release the trace 15 the lever 18 is raised which carries the lug 20 backwardly to engage the inner end of the bolt 16 within the opening 21 and thus retracts the bolt 16 and admits of the removal of the hook 14 from the receiving member 13. The flanges 22 are adapted to frictionally engage against the sides of the body portion 10 and to thereby tensionally retain the lever 18 in a closed position.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. A trace fastener including a bolt having an opening formed interniediately and vertically therethrough, beveled faces oppositely formed in the opening, a lever disposed adjacent said bolt and extended into the opening, and a lug formed on said lever for engagement through the opening, said lug being adapted for engagement against said beveled faces to lock said bolt in a closed and open position.

2. In a trace fastener, the combination of a body portion, a lever pivotally mounted in said body portion, a bolt slidably disposed in said body portion, said bolt having an opening formed intermediately therein, oppositely beveled faces formed on said bolt Within the opening, a lug formed on said lever and engaged in said opening, and a receiving member formed upon the outer end of said body portion for the reception of the outer end of said bolt, said lug being adapted for engagement with said faces to bind said bolt in an open and closed position.

3. A trace fastener including a body portion having an opening formed in the upper side thereof, a bolt slidably disposed in said body portion and having an opening formed therethrough for registration with the opening in the said body portion, a lever pivotally mounted in said body portion and extended through the openings, beveled faces oppositely formed in said bolt in the opening, and a lug carried by said lever for alternate engagement with said faces to lock said bolt in an open and closed position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADDISON P. HOARD. [1 s.] lVitnesses A. O. OFSTAD, I. A. SwENsoN. 

